Kong School Musical: Remix Edition
by Satine89
Summary: An AU parodyhomage to High School Muscial wherein a host of crazies attend Kong High School, home of the most certifiably insane teens on earth. It's here that Murdoc Niccals decides to start the world's greatest band...
1. Start of Something New

**Start of Something New**

Kong High School was not known for its students' humility. All through the country, the school had the reputation that could only be compared to that of a media heiress – there was good, there was bad, and then there was utterly stupid.

The current de facto of Kong High School was the bad. However, bad was a very light term, considering that Murdoc Niccals was easily one of the foulest, cleverest, and most vicious teenagers that ever lived. Murdoc did have a good streak, lest you think that he spent his days setting fire to cats or terrorizing people or selling his soul for record players. It was a tiny streak, but it was there, buried underneath years of insanity.

Murdoc's main claim to fame was his extraordinary ability to play bass guitar. He would hide out in the band room of Kong High, strumming away on his favorite instrument. Sure, its lacquer was peeling and the strings had been replaced a good ten times, but Murdoc loved the thing to death.

At least, that was what Russel Hobbs had told his adopted sister Noodle in his car before her first day of high school. Murdoc's repute – and with that, most of Kong High's – had already reached her ears when she was in seventh grade, when Russel and Murdoc had first met each other in freshman year.

Noodle applied a coat of pink gloss to her lips. She was frightened, but it didn't look that way. Noodle appeared to be a cute girl wearing a jean skirt, leggings, and a Graham Coxon concert tee.

Well, that was what she HOPED she looked like. Her insides were threatening to fall out of her stomach. Noodle was nerve-wracked.

"Russel-nii-chan," Noodle murmured as she pushed the flip-board upward, letting sunlight pour into the little blue Sudan, "am I going to be all right?"

Russel opened the driver's side door, smiling at her. "Of course. You're Noodle."

Noodle gave a brief smile before getting out of the car. She was Noodle – that was obvious. But high school would be different from junior high. She was no longer top of the ladder, and some of her friends wouldn't be with her at her new school.

"Russel-nii-chan, I'm not going to be alone… am I?" Noodle murmured in a worried voice as she slung her Harajuku Couture book bag over her shoulder. The bag smacked against her back, bringing a sharp pain with it.

Russel laughed at Noodle's klutziness before sighing blithely. "You won't be alone, Noodle. I'll take you to your locker, and from there you should be able to figure out where you're going just fine."

Noodle gulped. Russel's pep talk was just noise to her ears. She blinked as the streaming sunlight flooded her eyes, squinting as she walked alongside Russel.

Together, they entered Kong High School at its worst moment – the first day back.

You had the burnouts, who clearly had gotten about two hours of sleep the entire summer; the drama freaks, who were already getting ready to perform a play; the freshmen, who were trying to find their lockers and classrooms; and Murdoc Niccals, who was nowhere in sight, but his influence was being felt by just about every student. Why, you ask?

There were bullet holes peppering the entrance wall, and the bell was dangling from its jack above the door. Russel hit his head on the broken bell, putting two and two together and reaching the only plausible conclusion. Noodle was too busy shaking in her sneakers to care.

Russel grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her through the throng of confused, frightened, and/or rebellious students. Noodle's hand was sweaty.

Noodle looked up to Russel. "What are all those people doing in the main hall?"

"It's the only place Murdoc won't attack anyone," Russel answered a little too matter-of-factly. Noodle gulped nervously and tightened her grip on Russel's hand.

Russel frowned, realizing the major faux pas he had just committed. "He won't touch you. If he does anything to you, I'll kill him."

Noodle blinked. "What do you mean, anything to me? What would he do? He knows me. And he knows that if he does anything - "

"Well…" Russel thought for a second before shaking his head. "No. I just meant in general, Noodle."

Russel and Noodle trudged up three staircases and across two hallways to reach locker number 01-91. It was in the center of the fourth floor of Kong High, which housed the basketball courts and a Dance Dance Revolution machine in the AP Calculus class. (Why it was put in the AP Calc class, no one was quite sure.)

Russel banged his fist against Locker 01-91. "Here you go. Looks like you got a pretty sturdy one. What's your combo again?"

"Um… 03-26-01," Noodle read off of the palm of her hand. The combination was hastily scrawled in emerald ink. Green pens had always been a favorite of Noodle's, because they matched her eyes.

Russel leaned over towards the locker, preparing to show Noodle how to open her locker. Suddenly, Noodle gasped and a lanky figure smacked Russel in the back. Russel banged his head against the locker and growled.

"Alan…" Russel muttered as he turned to face a teenager with short, messy blonde hair, a pair of slim wire rims, and a rail-thin body. He was all smiles.

"Hey Russ," Alan greeted with a gigantic grin. "Who's the girl?"

Noodle realized that she was being addressed and gave a startled chortle. "Oh, _gomen nasai!_ My name's Noodle!"

"She's my adopted sister," Russel explained. Alan observed Noodle for a few seconds before snapping his fingers.

"Noodle's the ball girl for the basketball team, isn't she?" Alan asked excitedly. "I knew I had seen her somewhere! She's still ball girl, isn't she?"

"Of course!" Noodle and Russel blurted out at the same time. They both looked at each other.

"Where else would she go? She knows all of the basketball players," Russel offered.

"I enjoy helping out, really!" Noodle added casually. Alan nodded slowly, grasping his chin lightly.

"Russ, I think that Murdoc was looking for you," Alan said. "He was getting a bit pissed off… usually you cover for him, and apparently you're late today…" Alan shrugged. "But what about little Noodle-chan here?"

"Don't call her that," Russel spat out, his face gaining an angry flush.

Alan laughed heartily. "Lighten up, Russ, I have a girlfriend…" Alan poked Noodle on the forehead. She smiled. Alan was a pretty cool guy. He wasn't at all like the other high schoolers she knew. Of course, all of the high schoolers she knew were either a) jocks or b) psychotic.

"I'll show her around campus if you want me to, Russ," Alan suggested. "I'll make sure she stays safe and all that jazz."

Russel appeared to be having an intense internal struggle. He finally sighed and turned to Noodle.

"Noodle, that's Alan," Russel explained calmly. "He's a great guy – nice, funny, and smart. I trust him a lot, so there's no need for you to worry. He'll show you around, okay?"

"Do you think I wasn't paying attention to the conversation or something?" Noodle asked in an irritated tone.

"I know you too well," Russel countered.

"And I wasn't paying attention," Noodle admitted with a shrug.

Alan blurted out a short expletive. Noodle and Russel turned around.

"I need to go get my backpack," Alan explained. "My locker's only a few rows down. I'll be right back!"

Alan ran down the hallway. Russel smacked himself in the face.

"Is Alan-san… forgetful?" Noodle inquired.

"When it comes to his backpack, yes," Russel answered before turning back to Noodle's locker. "So, Noodle, watch carefully."

Russel began to twiddle the lock. "Go to the right two turns…" Russel hit 03 on the lock. "Left one turn…" Russel reached 26. "And then just go right to the last number." 01 winked at the two of them. Russel yanked the handle on the locker and opened it up. It was empty and clean.

"And there you go," Russel nodded. "Okay, Noodle, have a good day. I should go talk to Murdoc…"

Noodle smiled. "Have fun."

Noodle wasn't quite sure if she was being sarcastic or not. She watched her brother walk down the staircase before turning to her locker. It was too empty. Noodle emptied her bag of its peripheral objects – her Geometry book (for fifth period, after lunch); a few extra pens and pencils; her Walkman… actually, there was a lot of random crap in her backpack.

Noodle looked down into her book bag and extracted her schedule. First period, Advanced Band. Second period, English 9A. After that was a fifteen-minute 'brunch', then she had Biology and AP Human Geography before lunch. After lunch, she had Geometry and Varsity Basketball, which counted as her PE, even though she was just ball girl.

Noodle smiled at her schedule. It was perfect.

_"Living in my own world… didn't understand… that anything can happen when you take a chance," _Noodle murmured as she folded up her schedule and put it in her pocket. _"I never believed in what I couldn't see… I never opened my heart to all the possibilities… oh…"_

Noodle grabbed a folio of sheet music out of her bag and dropped it on the floor. She would need that later. _"I know that something has changed – I've never felt this way! And right here, maybe tonight, this could be the start of something new!"_

Noodle twirled around. _"It feels so right to be here with you! And now, looking through my eyes, I feel in my heart… the start of something new…!"_

An English notebook fell out of Noodle's bag. Noodle redirected her attention to the pile of crap on the floor. She knelt down and began to sort through the stuff. _"Now who'd have ever thought that I'd be here tonight? The world looks so much brighter with you by my side…"_

Noodle glanced down at a picture of her brother and smiled before slipping that into her pocket as well. _"I know that something has changed… never felt this way! I know it's for real – this could be the start of something new!"_

_"It feels so right to be here with you!" _Noodle giggled, shoving stuff into her locker. Her brother and her, together in school at last, playing basketball and performing in band – Noodle felt a great happiness welling up inside of her. Not only that, Noodle suspected that she might have a new friend as well…

_"And now, looking through my eyes, I feel in my heart the start of something new…!" _

Noodle trailed off as she heard footsteps clacking down the hall. She looked down at the floor, glancing at all the crap thrown on the floor. Noodle began to hurriedly pick up the stuff, not looking up, thinking it was Alan.

_"The start of something new…" _Noodle murmured happily, not noticing the dark shadow being cast over her by a tall figure.

The person roughly fingered her chin. Noodle's eyes immediately darted up before dilating in shock.

"…Well, I see you're doing well on your first day, eh, Noodle-chan?"

A/N: I posted this story in a verifiable panic, as my computer was on the verge of imploding (this was during a particularly nasty worm outbreak). I just posted the entire thing, along with multiple chapters of other stories. As a result, this story… er… tanked. Badly. So I deleted the old posting of it and decided to repost, this time with nicer commentary from me, and a more reasonable posting schedule. Besides, timing's perfect – High School Musical 2 is on the way, we know Noodle survived El Manana, and I'm fresh off of a fiction that's turning into a runaway success for me, _The Plug_ (Invader Zim story). Well, as for this chapter, it's definitely my least favorite, but it sets up the entire thing, so… whatever…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz or High School Musical. However, I do own this (rather odd) singing Sharpay doll my friend bought me as a joke. It's a little creepy, actually.


	2. What I've Been Looking For

What I've Been Looking For 

"…Well, I see you're doing well on your first day, eh, Noodle-chan?"

Noodle licked her lips. They had become suddenly dry. She couldn't explain it – the feverish blush that rose on her face every time he got near her, the fact that she suddenly couldn't talk when he came around, all the times he teased her only to get a swift punch in the face from Russel…

It was very hard to rationalize Noodle's relationship with Murdoc Niccals.

"Murdoc-sanuma!" Noodle blurted out randomly, a blush rising on her face.

_Crap, _Noodle thought. _Here it goes…_

"I thought you were looking for Russel-nii-chan," Noodle murmured in a shy voice. Her voice would eventually snap, somewhere in the middle of the conversation.

"I found him," Murdoc answered matter-of-factly. He let go of Noodle's chin and stood up, arms crossed across his chest. Murdoc grinned down evilly – or was it suggestively? – at Noodle, who was now stuffing everything she needed into her bag, averting his gaze.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" Murdoc asked. "Scared, Noodle-chan?"

"Why do you call me Noodle-chan?" Noodle inquired without thinking. The minute it slipped out of her mouth, she regretted it. Now it would be completely obvious that the term of endearment only fueled Noodle's confusion about him.

Maybe Murdoc was stupid. Of course, it was also possible that he didn't care. Either way, he said, simply, "Because I feel like it."

And then he walked away, giving her a backwards wave. Noodle's hands tensed in her lap, and her face was a furious crimson color. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of her neck. Noodle slung her bag over her shoulder and stood up uneasily. She cupped a hand to her mouth, ready to shout at him, but Alan stepped in front of her.

She moved her hand away with a startled look before smiling. "Hey, Alan-san. I thought you were… someone else…"

Alan was all smiles, with his backpack strap slung across his chest. It was a curious backpack, in that it was designed to rest on your back, but it had only one strap.

"All right, let's get started then!" Alan cheered, clasping his hands together.

"And this is the cafeteria," Alan gestured at the gigantic rotund room. Tables littered the floor, placed in perfect symmetry with the floor, which had a gigantic red circle in the center, surrounded by white. There was even a second story with a few more tables overlooking everything. Some students were just hanging out in the cafeteria, and others were eating breakfast.

Noodle's gaze traveled across the room when her eyes met a pretty girl with sleek, short black hair and beautiful auburn eyes. She was talking – flirting – with a vacant-seeming boy with blue hair and a curious absence of any eye color. Noodle kept looking around. There was a red-haired nerdy kid playing with a Moog synthesizer on a cafeteria table on the second floor, joined by a brown-haired girl who kept trying to set the synthesizer to play organ music. Standing underneath the second floor balcony was Russel, who appeared to be yelling at someone. The 'someone' stepped away from the wall, and Noodle could see that it was Murdoc.

"Everyone tends to gather here," Alan explained to Noodle. Noodle nodded, and Alan continued. "That girl over there" (Alan pointed to the black-haired girl) "is Paula Cracker. She's a senior, one of the most popular girls in school. And that's her boyfriend, Stuart Tusspot. He got in an accident and lost both of his eyes…"

"That's terrible!" Noodle burst out, her hand covering her mouth. "How -?"

"They say it has something to do with Murdoc," Alan shrugged. He then scratched his head and murmured, "That might explain why no one asks…"

Noodle's eyes darted over to Murdoc. "Is he really a bad person?'

"No, I think that Stuart crashed his car into Murdoc's van…"

"Wouldn't that make it partly Murdoc's fault?"

"They say Murdoc wasn't in his van. Stuart crashed into it when it was parallel parked by the school."

Noodle's eye twitched. "So… so he crashed into a… a parallel-parked car…?"

"Stuart isn't very bright, but he IS a nice guy," Alan offered. "That's why Paula loves him, anyway… And playing with the synthesizer is Werzel."

"What's his last name?" Noodle asked.

"That is his last name. No one knows his first name. Most of the time we call him Dr. Werzel. He's smart for a sophomore. That synthesizer – you see that?"

"Yeah…"

"He built it himself to get the girl he loves."

Noodle beamed. "That's adorable!"

"Yeah, and that's her right there, Rachel Stevens… she used to be Stuart's girlfriend, but then Murdoc kept hitting on her, and she was really sick of it, so she pushed Murdoc off the gym roof and began to attack him with paintball guns."

"A bit drastic… no…?"

"Well, the gym's roof is right next to the main building's roof. Murdoc didn't fall far. The paintball guns… yeah, that was drastic. But her therapist says she's over it now. I think Werzel calmed her a bit… and underneath the balcony… well, you know them. Russel's your brother, he's also the most eligible bachelor in the school, now that they know you aren't his girlfriend…"

"Huh?" Noodle exclaimed.

Alan dropped the subject. "…And then there's Murdoc Niccals… It's hard to say what he's really like. He's an indiscriminant bad boy, I guess, but he seems to have a spark of decency in him. That spark doesn't come out very often, but it's there."

People were wandering around the cafeteria, going about their business, but Noodle couldn't tell. A sound was coming to her ears… a beautiful sound, one that always entranced her. It was the sound of a man singing.

_"It's hard to believe that I couldn't see… you were always there beside me!"_

Noodle's head whipped around. "Alan-san… what is that?"

Alan sighed, not even turning around. "It's Stuart. He and Paula like to sing… all the time… no matter what the situation… they're like human jukeboxes."

Noodle looked towards where the two of them were sitting. They had stood up, and now he was clutching her hand tenderly. She looked slightly flushed.

_"Thought I was alone, with no one to hold… but you were always there beside me!" _both of them sang happily. People began to stare at Stuart and Paula, but they were blissfully oblivious. Noodle found herself strangely drawn to the singing. Werzel and Rachel stopped messing with the synthesizer. Murdoc looked up for just a second before taking a pen out of his pocket and scrawling something down on his hand.

_"This feeling's like no other," _Paula admitted sheepishly, standing on her seat. Since the two of them were still holding each other's hands, Stuart was flailed up atop a seat as well. He didn't seem to care, though.

_"I want you to know that I've never had someone that knows me like you do… the way you do!" _the two of them sang at each other. Out of the corner of his eye, Alan noticed that Russel and Murdoc were deep in discussion, eyeing Paula and Stuart suspiciously.

"Noodle," Alan began, "is it just -?"

"Sh," Noodle interrupted off-handedly.

Alan didn't even hear her. Paula and Stuart drowned Noodle's rude disruption completely.

_"I've never had someone as good for me as you… no one like you! So lonely before I finally found… what I've been looking for!"_

Rachel stood up and stood next to Noodle, listening to Paula and Stuart attentively. Noodle felt Rachel's shadow cover her completely. A sidelong glance confirmed that Rachel was easily a foot and a half taller than Noodle.

_"So good to be seen," _Paula sighed airily. _"So good to be heard!"_

_"Don't have to say a word," _they both conceded.

_"For so long I was lost," _Stuart related to Paula, and the growing group of onlookers. _"So good to be found…"_

_"I'm loving having you around!" _Paula and Stuart agreed happily as they jumped on the table. The crowd whooped it up – except for Noodle, who was too transfixed for her own good.

_"This feeling's like no other!" _Stuart told the throng of people. _"I want you" _(he pointed to the audience) _"to know…"_

Paula rejoined the song. _"I've never had someone that knows me like you do… the way you do! I've never had someone as good for me as you… no one like you! So lonely before I finally found… what I've been looking -!"  
_The bell rang. And this bell, dear readers, was odious, shrill, and very annoying. It sounded a lot like the squawk of a very irritating raven, or maybe a fire alarm in a library. Whatever it sounded most like, it didn't matter at the moment, because that bell signaled the beginning of classes.

Noodle snapped out of her stupor long enough to see Alan walking away whistling. She panicked.

"Alan-san!" Noodle yelled, running after him. He stopped before laughing.

"Oh, you don't know where your class is, do you?" Alan smirked. "What's your first class?"

Noodle looked at her schedule. "…Advanced Band."

"Oh, that one's easy," Alan nodded. He pointed in a westerly direction. "Just follow that hallway" (there was a hallway running parallel to Alan's finger) "all the way to the end. And your second class…" Alan looked over Noodle's shoulder at her schedule. "Oh, English 9… that's… from the band room, that's back here, out that door" (Alan directed to the door that led to the outside world) "and at the first red bungalow by the soccer field."

Noodle nodded. "_Arigato, _Alan-san!"

"Good luck, Noodle-kun!" Alan grinned before running up the staircase and down a northern hallway.

Noodle began walking down the western hallway and quickly learned the rules of the road: squeeze by as fast as you can and ignore the passerby. The western hallway thoroughfare was completely jammed with students, all of which seemed to be going in the opposite direction. By the time Noodle was safe in the band room, she had gotten the wind knocked out of her about three times. She collapsed into a seat by the door.

Noodle scanned the classroom. She recognized a few of the faces – Stuart, the random singing kid, was sitting near the front of the room and doodling on a piece of paper. Werzel was smack dab in the middle of the classroom, still tinkering with his Moog. In the last seat in the last row was Murdoc, who was leaning back and examining the room, just as Noodle was. Their eyes met. Murdoc smirked slightly, as if he had just seen something particularly interesting. Noodle looked away hurriedly, blushing.

She curled up her hands nervously as more kids flooded the classroom. Noodle began to hum the song that Stuart and Paula had been singing in a shaky tone, but soon she began to whisper the words.

_"It's hard to believe that I couldn't see…" _Noodle pursed her lips. _"You were always there beside me… Thought I was alone, with no one to hold… but you were always there beside me. This feeling's… like no other…"_

Noodle looked back at Murdoc. He was preoccupied with lobbing a piece of trash at Stuart's head.

_"I want you to know that I've never had someone that knows me like you do – the way you do! I've never had someone as good for me as you… no one like you… so lonely before I finally found… what I've been looking for…"_

Noodle smiled. _"Oooh… oooh… hmm… mm…"_

She continued humming the song as she eyed the instruments leaning against the wall before her. There was a black guitar bag with as many stickers as humanly possible, a keyboard with some red glitter paint splattered down the side, a pair of clarinets, a melodica machine with a near-broken string, a few violins…

And then there was Noodle's contribution to the mire: her prized Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was blue, with pen marks on the side. They marked every time that Noodle had performed for other people. Currently, there were twenty-two.

As Noodle looked at the eclectic musical collection before her with a grin, Murdoc was eyeing the back of her head. Without saying a word, he wrote something else down on his palm.

A/N: Maybe the timing for this second chapter is better, seeing as the second HSM just came out. I didn't expect many reviews for this, so… for all five fans of this, enjoy chappie 2.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz… that much is evident… but I DO own – Just kidding, I don't own HSM either. Haha, I had all two of you going! smiles


	3. Getcha Head in the Game

Get'cha Head in the Game 

"You're crazy, Muds," Russel scolded. He glared at Murdoc, who, even though he was a scrawny little whelp, was still frightening for some reason. Murdoc's eyes – one black, one pink (from an incident freshman year in the chemistry lab) – were playfully evil, as usual.

"Am I?" Murdoc answered in a very demeaning matter. "You said it yourself: we should start a band."

"I didn't think you would come up with something this absurd," Russel frowned, crossing his arms. He narrowed his eyes. "Do you have any idea what this'll start, Muds?"

Murdoc crossed his own arms, as his grin grew wider. "That's what I'm looking forward to the most, Russ. This'll bring out the best and the worst in all of the school… an interesting psychological experiment."

Russel sighed. "Already planning for your Psych final? Murdoc, these are PEOPLE, not lab rats."

"Is there…?" Murdoc began before the bell rang. "Crap!"

Murdoc slammed his Pre-Calculus book shut and shoved it in his black shoulder bag. It was frayed and kind of beat up, but that was Murdoc for you. In the desk next to him, Russel closed his own Pre-Calc book gently and fought to get it into his backpack.

"So… you wrote everyone you're thinking of on… your hand?" Russel inquired, his tone less than friendly.

"Well, at first," Murdoc shrugged. "I wrote it on paper just now."

"Murdoc, you aren't going to pass this class if you don't pay attention," Russel noted.

"I don't care," Murdoc retorted. "It was just the first day anyway." Murdoc began rustling through his backpack and pulled out a crumpled-up ball of paper. He uncrumpled it and handed it to Russel. Murdoc jumped out of his desk.

"Have fun in Basketball!"

Russel looked up from the paper. "Have fun in Theater Production."

"Hey, that drama freak is the only teacher that actually likes me…"

Murdoc walked out the room. Russel, reading the paper, followed him, his eyes growing wider with each word. Russel folded up the paper angrily and ran after Murdoc.

"Murdoc, you retard!" Russel yelled.

Murdoc stopped walking and whipped around. "What?"

"These people… they're…"

"Talented, I know."

"Yes, but that's not my point. These people, Murdoc? They've all got issues! We won't be able to find two people who can work together – and with US – without going insane!"

Murdoc grinned cockishly. "Then they'll just have to learn, now won't they?"

Russel fumed, but turned and walked out the doors of the school and to the gymnasium. As he walked into the boys' locker room and changed his clothes, he took the piece of paper out of his pocket and tacked it to his locker wall. These people… all four of them… there was no chance that they'd be able to create a peaceful band.

But, Russel conceded, they WERE good musicians. Russel could only play drums, and Murdoc's skills in other instruments were basic at best. Plus, neither of them could sing. At all. Murdoc sounded like a drunkard, and Russel himself sounded like a drowning cat.

Russel pulled on his basketball shorts and began to lace up his shoes when someone smacked him in the back.

"Hey, Russ, how's your day been?"

Russel looked up. "Oh, hey, Doc. What're you doing here?"

Werzel held up a keyboard case. "Getting this back from the coach. I left it in the PE office so it wouldn't get stolen during Water Polo."

"Well, the bell's set to ring in a few minutes… better hurry…"

Russel looked down. He'd tied both of his shoes subconsciously. He reminded himself to not be so robotic in the future.

"See ya, Russ!"

"Bye, Doc…"

Russel walked out of the locker room and onto the gym floor. It smelled of wax and polish, a scent that always made Russel feel at home. Noodle and a good half of the team were already out there.

Noodle, being the team's ball girl, would routinely lead drills and would pump up the guys. She was working on the latter right now.

"WHAT TEAM?!" Noodle shrieked as she threw the ball at a tall Hispanic kid.  
"WILDCATS!" the team yelled as the Hispanic kid, number 16, caught it at his chest level.

"WHAT TEAM?!"

16 passed it to a tall blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy, numbered 04.

"WILDCATS!"

"WILDCATS - !" Noodle began, as 04 threw the ball back at her.

"GET'CHA HEAD IN THE GAME!"

Russel and a few stragglers joined with the rest of the team, finishing up the random chanting. Noodle smiled at all of them and waved.

"Coach won't be here for another ten minutes!" Noodle announced. "He's getting Marcus out of detention…"

The team rolled their eyes. Marcus was too stupid for his own good. At least he was an excellent basketball player.

"…So we're gonna work on some of our old plays, okay?" Noodle called.

"OKAY!" the team shouted back. Noodle threw the basketballs out to people, who began to work on separate drills. The thud of bouncing basketballs echoed throughout the court, and the squeak of basketball shoes on the gym floor was like music to the students' ears.

_"Coach said to fake right, and break left…" _Russel remembered as he and 16 paired up to work on blocking and shooting. _"Watch out for the pick, and keep an eye on the defense…"_

Russel swerved past 16 and ran towards the basket. _"Gotta run the give and go, and take the ball to the hole…"_

_"Don't be afraid to shoot the outside J!" _16 yelled at Russel. Russel turned, embarrassed. He grinned sheepishly.

_"Just keep ya head in the game!" _16 reminded.

_"Just keep ya head in the game…!" _Russel repeated, going back to his original position.

_"Don't be afraid to shoot the outside J -!" _Russel said, shooting from that exact position. It hit the backboard and fell into the hoop. As the ball bounced back to 16, Russel threw his fist in the air happily. _"Just keep ya head in the game!"_

Noodle threw a ball to a player who was trying to get away with jogging the court. _"You gotta get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

_"We've gotta get our, get our, get our head in the game!" _ the team agreed, working harder on their drills.

_"Get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

_"We've gotta get our, get our, get our head in the game –"_

A lanky black-haired boy, numbered 57, dribbled the ball across the court. Most superfluous movement on the court stopped.

_"Get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

_"Gotta get our, get our, get our head in the game!"_

57 shot the ball. It flew gracefully into the hoop.

_"Wooh!"_ Russel commended 57 as the rest of the team. They all gathered in a circle as 57 called them into a huddle. The team – and Noodle – hopped over.

_"Now, let's make sure that we get the rebound," _57 reminded them.

_"Cause when we get it, then the crowd will go wild!" _Russel envisioned.

_"Second chance – gotta grab it and go," _Noodle offered.

_"And maybe this time we'll hit the right notes!" _Russel finished. The team looked at him confusedly, and Noodle cocked her head.

_"Wait a minute," _Russel urged.

_"Not the time or place," _Noodle breathed sadly.

_"Wait a minute…"_

_"Get your head in the game," _57 demanded.

_"Wait a minute, get my head in the game," _Russel repeated. _"Wait a minute… wait a minute…"_

_"I gotta get my, get my head in the game!" _Russel cried. Noodle threw a basketball into the circle, and a group passing game started up.

_"You gotta get'cha, get'cha, get'cha, get'cha head in the game!" _the team agreed.

_"I gotta get my, get my head in the game…"_

_"Gotta get'cha, get'cha, get'cha, get'cha head in the game…!"  
"I gotta get my –"_

_"Get'cha –"_

_"Get my –"_

_"Get'cha –"_

_"-Head in the game!"_

_"Gotta get'cha, get'cha, get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

As Russel's confidence soared upward again, Noodle found hers at a low ebb. She watched the passing game and sighed.

_"Why am I feeling so wrong?" _Noodle wondered aloud. _"My head's in the game… but my heart's in the song…"_ Noodle looked at her hands. _"He makes it feel so right…"_

Noodle looked up. _"Should I… go for it?" _She shook her head. _"Oh, God, no. How am I gonna shake this…? Yikes…"_

The team was still pumped up as ever, dividing into two groups for a half-court game.

_"Get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

_"Get our, get our, get our, get our head in the game!"_

_"Get'cha, get'cha head in the game!"_

_"Get our, get our, get our, get our head in the game!"_

_"Get'cha, get'cha head in the game…!"_

The voices faded into the confines of Noodle's mind as she buried her face in her hands.

"…Why Murdoc?" Noodle wondered aloud.

_"Get, get, get'cha head in the game!"_

The team whooped. The coach had just arrived. Noodle quickly snapped out of her stupor.

_"Get my, get my head in the game…"_ she murmured the mantra to herself as she wheeled the ball basket over towards the team.

A/N: Well, if you had any doubts as to how I'd fit these songs in here, don't worry, it's all taken care of. This song in particular was really hard to work in, for two reasons – it was my least favorite song in the movie, and in the Gorillaz context, it was hard to justify the bridge (Why am I feeling so wrong…?). But I think I made it work. Key words I think…

A/N 2: SHAMELESS PLUG TIME! If you're into HSM, I wrote an HSM fic called The Things They're Trying to Tell Us Now (title taken from the song 'The Girls of Rock and Roll'), which is a madcap comedy of errors…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz, I don't own HSM, everybody's a winner. Yay! confetti


	4. Stick to the Status Quo

Stick To The Status Quo 

The second day of school is never anything special to most people. Noodle wasn't expecting anything; that was sure.

But Russel knew what would come to pass that day. Murdoc had called Russel the previous night to fully explain his plans, and he was sure that he'd find some final confirmation in his locker that day.

The school was in for a shock; that's all Russel could definitely say at the moment.

Noodle skipped out of the blue Sedan, all smiles. She didn't know what was going to happen. Maybe it was cruel of Russel to not tell her. At the time, he was only thinking of her safety, which was why he offered to take her to her locker that day.

Noodle was unsuspicious.

As they walked through the front doors, a large crowd of backs greeted them. They seemed to be hovering over something large posted on a pole.

Russel gulped and backed away. Noodle let go of his hand and shoved her way through the throng of people, finding herself next to Rachel Stevens.

"What is this…?" Rachel spat as she read. Noodle, taking a cue from her, began to read the poster. There were very few words on it, but it was very to the point.

_I'm starting a band. These are the people I think are talented enough. Auditions are this Friday, after school, in the theater. You cannot drop out. You probably wouldn't want to do that anyway, since I know where you all live, disturbing as that may sound. – Murdoc Niccals_

Noodle's heart swooped, but her head was reeling. What on earth was the point of -?  
Noodle's eyes hovered over the list of people. There were only four.

_Paula Cracker _

_Werzel_

_Stuart Tusspot_

_Noodle Hobbs_

Her eyes widened. "What -?"

Rachel turned to Noodle. "That's you, isn't it?"

Noodle didn't answer. She just nodded, her voice deserting her at this crucial time.

"I'd watch your back," Rachel advised. "This is going to have people talking."

Noodle's voice cracked. "…Why?"

"Murdoc hates freshmen."

Rachel ducked into the hallway as Paula pushed her way through to the pole, screaming at people to get out of her way. Noodle's body began to shake violently. Without warning, she darted off, down the hallway, and into the cafeteria.

She saw every eye on her. There was another poster placed on the wall by the door. Noodle sniffled. She was surrounded. Perturbed, she fled to her locker, avoiding all the harsh stares and the whispers floating around her.

Noodle opened her locker frantically, dumped all of her stuff on the floor, and attempted to lock herself inside. She curled her body into the box, but she was too big. Her shoes were in the way. Frustrated, Noodle threw her sneakers on the tile. They made a loud thudding sound. Noodle slammed her locker closed, but realized too late that she couldn't lock herself in from the inside. She needed an accomplice.

"Noodle-kun?"

_Perfect,_ Noodle thought.

"Alan-san, lock me in here."

Noodle wished she could see the look on Alan's face.

"What?" Alan asked incredulously. "Why?"

"They're going to kill me," Noodle mused. Her voice was borderline psychotic. "They're going to kill me, Alan-san…"

"They are NOT going to kill you," Alan frowned. "They're just going to talk about you for a little bit."

"That's just as bad!" Noodle wailed, slamming her elbow against the wall of the locker. She let out a little yelp of pain before sniffling.

A third voice joined in. "Alan, what's going on?"

"Noodle-kun wants me to lock her inside," he explained. "I'm not going to do that, but you can, if you want…"

Noodle blanched. "Russel-nii-chan, don't let me out!"

Russel was seething, apparently. "I am NOT going to let you stay in there! Do you have any idea how much air you have in there? You'll die."

"Fair enough!"

"Noodle!" Russel cried. "I am NOT going to let you do this!"

And with that, Russel yanked the locker door off of its hinges. Noodle found herself squinting in the light. She stared at Alan's concerned face and Russel's angry one.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Noodle asked quickly.

"Huh?" Alan blinked. "I just found out –"  
"NOT YOU!" Noodle screeched, forcing her legs out of the locker. "I meant… Russel-nii-chan, why?!"

Russel sighed. Apparently he had been dreading this.

"I didn't think he was serious…" Russel admitted. "He has a tendency to threaten many things. Hardly any of them come about. But apparently this was different…"

Noodle thrust herself out of the locker. Her stance was a little wobbly for a bit, but she was otherwise unharmed.

"Murdoc told you about this?" Alan inquired, amazed.

"Yeah, apparently I'm already in this band of his," Russel grunted. "What he's planning, I don't quite –"

"Who do you think you are?"

Noodle, Russel, and Alan whipped around. Standing arms crossed before them was Paula Cracker. Noodle never noticed it before, but her hair seemed a little greasy and her eyes seemed hungry for something. Other than that, she was still beautiful and… well, even her accusation seemed friendly.

"Who, me?" Alan asked confusedly.

"No, not you," Paula snapped angrily. She glared at Noodle, who found that she wasn't as friendly as previously thought. "Her. Who does she think she is?"

"I'm Noodle Hobbs…" Noodle offered.

"What are you to Murdoc, then?" Paula barked.

"What?" Noodle whimpered, her face turning a pink color.

"What do you mean, 'to Murdoc'?" Russel asked. Alan crossed his arms, a frown forming on his face.

"Why are you even here?" Alan wondered. "She had nothing to do with this. She was trying to shove herself into a locker just now."

Paula looked at the locker door lying on the ground, hinges ripped off roughly, then looked to Noodle, sheer terror rising on her face. "You FREAK!"

"She didn't do that!" Alan protested. "Russel did -!"  
It was too late. Paula had run off, talking to herself. Noodle collapsed to the ground, tears bubbling in her eyes. She stared at her hands uneasily before breaking down. Russel kneeled down beside her and rubbed her back gently, murmuring calming things. Alan still stood, looking at the mounting crowd of people.

"Noodle's not safe here," Alan told Russel. "People are talking already. They're not pleased, that's for sure. Noodle's changed everything they thought they knew about Murdoc… and they're questioning it."

"Why me?" Noodle sniffled. "Why me…?"

Russel glanced skyward before turning to Noodle. "Murdoc's heard you play your guitar before, remember? When you were messing around last year and playing a bunch of really random songs?"  
Noodle nodded. She remembered that day rather well. She wasn't messing around, though – she was showing off. She wanted to show up Murdoc, after he revealed his abysmal skills with guitar. At the time, she didn't understand why. Now she did.

_What I've been looking for, _Noodle thought with a smile.

"He didn't do it to spite you," Russel assured her. "And if I find out he did, I'll kill him."

Noodle saw that her brother was serious. She stood up uneasily and began to put her things back in her locker. Over her shoulder, she muttered, "This should be an interesting day."

It was turning out to be a very interesting day, as Noodle predicted. By lunch, everyone had heard the news: humble freshman and semi-loner Noodle Hobbs (who was, in fact, NOT Russel's girlfriend, but his half-sister) was worthy enough to be recognized by Murdoc Niccals, infamous freshman-hater, as a prospect for his new band.

This was a little more than odd to quite a few students, but none more than Paula. She didn't understand it. She paced across the second floor of the cafeteria, musing on the subject.

"I just don't get it," she glowered, facing Stuart. He was sitting at a table, drinking some Sunny D and not even really focused. For being smack-dab in the middle of the controversy, he was surprisingly laid-back.

"She's prob'ly tal'nted," Stuart shrugged. His accent, which came and went depending on how focused Stuart was about it, was clearly present now. A smile rose on his face. "Jus' 'cuz she's a freshm'n doesn' mean she's crap."

"I know," Paula assured him as she looked over the second-floor railing. She eyed Murdoc, who was leaning against the door of the cafeteria. The school had (unofficially) given him the duty of making sure no one skipped out of the cafeteria and ditched school. (He was fairly good at it.) Murdoc caught her eye and gave her that 'you're-so-off-base-it's-not-even-funny' look. Paula whipped around, fuming.

"He's so smug," Paula noted.

She looked over the railing again, looking at the various people populating the caf. Werzel and Rachel were pouring over some sheet music. Paula would have never expected to see Werzel get nominated for anything by Murdoc, either. But this was more because of an incident where Werzel dumped dirty mop water on Murdoc in eighth grade. Oh, Werzel paid for it, all right – Murdoc dumped toilet water on him the next week – but the two of them weren't on very friendly terms.

The basketball team was all talking, but they kept glancing around the room nervously. The nerds surrounding Werzel and Rachel were doing much the same thing. Actually, everyone was talking. Paula could bet she knew what they were talking about.

"Stuart… what should we do?"

Stuart tossed his empty Sunny D bottle into a trashcan. Five-foot shot… and he swooshed it in. He turned to Paula and smirked.

"We'll jus' give it ou' bes' a' auditions," Stuart nodded. "Tha's all we can do, y'know."

"No," Paula sighed. "I meant… about Noodle… where is that little whelp, anyway?"

Russel, who was sitting with the rest of the basketball team, listened to them chatter about Murdoc Niccals' new 'band'. Since they knew all of the participants for whom they really were, they were a lot more attuned to the real issue.

"Who do you think Murdoc'll put in his band?"

"Not Paula, I don't think. At least, not Stuart and Paula together. Nothing'll get done."

"But Noodle seems like a bit of a long shot – no offense, Russ."

"None taken," Russel answered.

"I don't understand the point of this, though. I know Murdoc likes to screw with people, but this is crazy."

"Yeah, I saw Noodle today, and she looked shell-shocked. And she's usually the life of the party."

"If life was a party, you mean."

"Yeah. I say we jump Murdoc for making Noodle depressed!"

"YEAH!"

Russel stood up. "NO! This isn't his fault! This is the other students' fault!" Russel sighed. "They're all getting on her back because she's a freshman, and Murdoc chose to recognize a freshman for something. It's so stupid!"

"I don't get it, Russ."

"Me neither."

"…Murdoc started it."

"GET HIM AFTER SCHOOL!"

"YEAH!"

Russel narrowed his eyes irritably. "Maybe an example is pertinent." He took a basketball out from under the table and slammed it on his chair. He dribbled and shot it against the wall. It came to land perfectly in the chair. Scattered applause followed, but Russel chose to ignore it.

_"You can bet there's nothing but net when I am in the zone and on a roll," _Russel offered.

"Of course," the team murmured, nodding.

_"But," _Russel continued, _"I've got a confession – my own secret obsession – and it's making me lose control!"_

The basketball players motioned to the cheerleaders. _"Everybody, gather 'round!"_

_"Well, if Noodle's secret can get blown, so can mine," _Russel explained. _"I bake."_

One of the cheerleader's faces soured. _"What…?"_

_"I love to bake," _Russel shrugged. Now most everyone in the cafeteria was watching him intently. _"Strudels… scones… even apple pendavi…"_

The team completely missed Russel's point. _"Not another sound!"_

_"Someday I hope to make the perfect Crème Brule," _Russel explained. _"But that's not –"_

It was apparent that most of the eavesdroppers missed Russel's point entirely, too. They jumped out of their seats angrily, cutting Russel off. _"No, no, no, no -! Stick to the stuff you know!"_

A basketball sailed through the air and into Russel's arms.

_"If you wanna be cool," _they told Russel, _"follow one simple rule – don't mess with the flow, no, no! Stick to the status quo!"_

Russel threw the basketball to the floor, frustrated. "You're missing my point!"

Surprisingly, Rachel Stevens jumped up and stood on her seat. "Yeah, you're missing his point!" She picked up her AP Calculus textbooks and her calculator, frowning. "Noodle is just a victim in this situation! Just because she's a gifted musician doesn't mean we should rat on her!"

_"Look at me, and what do you see?" _Rachel asked the proletariat, who were now fully enthralled with this debate of errors.

_"Intelligence beyond compare!" _they yelled back.

_"Right!" _Rachel nodded before putting her books down. _"But inside I am stirring – something strange is occurring! It's a secret I need to share!"_

_"Open up," _the crowd begged, _"dig way down deep!"_

_"Well…" _Rachel suddenly jumped up on the table. _"Hip hop is my passion! I love to pop and lock and jam and break -!"_

Werzel looked at her confusedly. _"Is that even legal…?"_

_"Not another peep!" _the students yelled angrily.

_"It's just dancing!" _Rachel protested. _"Sometimes I think it's even better than homework! That just -!"_

_"No, no, no, no -!" _the mob of people cried out, cutting her off. They were so hopelessly lost, it wasn't even funny. _"Stick to the stuff you know! It is better by far to keep things as they are! Don't mess with the flow, no, no – stick to the status quo!"_

Rachel clenched her fists. "You guys don't get it! People change! 'Freshman' is a description, not a job title!"

Paula, from her perch up on the second floor balcony, laughed. "That's so pathetic. You guys are all pathetic! This isn't an issue of whether Noodle deserves the honor or not – it's a matter of what's right! She's just a freshman! They're still finding their niche at this school! They deserve little, they get little, and they're happy with it! But now that Murdoc foisted this all on Noodle, he's changed everything! He's disrupted the very fabric of this school!"

Murdoc looked up for one second, saw everyone staring at him, and started laughing.

"What?" Paula yelled. "What's wrong with you?!"

Murdoc beamed. "There's nothing wrong with a little change…"

Stuart suddenly jumped off of the balcony. Paula screamed, Werzel clean fainted, and Russel ran over to catch Stuart. However, he landed on his feet, on top of the punks' table. The cafeteria was very silent as Stuart stood up and dusted himself off.

"Murdoc's righ'," Stuart finally said. The furor started up again.

"WHAT?" Paula screeched.

"You're CRAZY!" a cheerleader called.

"Why would you agree with THAT?!" a nerd inquired irately.

"MORE PIE!" a confused girl at the punk table demanded. Her cry was ignored.

Stuart made the upward palm gesture, universal sign for 'stop and shut up'.

_"List'n well, I'm ready to 'ell 'bout a need tha' I cannot deny," _Stuart murmured, his voice gaining strength and shedding its accent with each word. _"Dude, there's no explan'tion for this awesome sensation, and I'm ready to let it fly!"_

The crowd looked at each other uneasily before saying, _"Speak your mind and you'll be heard."_

_"All right," _Stuart nodded happily, _"If Murdoc can change, well, then, I can to. And I did. You see, last year, I started playing the cello!"_

A few eyebrows were raised, to say the least. The confused pie girl spoke up.

_"Awesome!" _she yelled. _"What is it?"_

Stuart mimicked the cello-playing motion in a very obvious fashion. Confused Pie Girl's eyes lit up.

_"A saw!" _she cried out before throwing her arms up in the air happily.

_"No, dude… ette…" _Stuart said awkwardly. _"It's like a giant violin!"_

_"Not – another – sound!" _the crowd yelled. Paula's voice carried over everyone else's.

_"When you play, do you wear a costume?" _Confused Pie Girl questioned.

_"Coat and tie," _Stuart replied in a show-offy tone.

_"No, no, no, no -!" _Paula cried.

_"No, no, no!" _the crowd echoed. They rounded on all three of the so-called heretics. Russel's grip on his basketball was growing tight. Rachel's therapy was quickly becoming an afterthought. Stuart ran his fingers through his hair nonchalantly, but it seemed like he was becoming a bit worried.

_"Stick to the stuff you know! If you wanna be cool, follow one simple rule – don't mess with the flow, no, no! Stick to the status quo!"_

Paula began to walk down the stairs. _"No, no, NO! Stick to the stuff you know! It is better by far to keep things as they are!"_

_"Don't mess with the flow, no, no!" _the mass of people picked up quickly as Paula reached the floor. _"Stick to the status quo!"_

Paula walked over to Murdoc's position and hovered above his hunched-over frame. He casually zipped up his hooded jacket and focused both his normal eye and his pink eye on her.

"Yes?" Murdoc asked in his swaggering manner. Paula wasn't in the mood, however.

"Do you see what you've done?" Paula growled. "Look at them! Your 'band' thing has ruined the tranquility of the school!" Paula stopped momentarily. "'Tranquility' means –"

"I know what it means," Murdoc interrupted forcefully. "And I also know that, yesterday, you could have cared less about such plebian manners and instead preferred to worry about only yourself and your darling Stuart."

Paula scowled before admitting defeat. _"THIS is not what I want. This is not what I planned, and I just gotta say… I DO NOT UNDERSTAND!"_

Murdoc shrugged. Irritated, Paula stomped off before her gaze came to rest upon one of the infamous posters. She ran two of her fingers down its length before ripping it off the wall and crumpling it in her hand.

_"Something is really –"  
"Something's not right…" _Russel moaned as the crowd continued to argue, heckle, jeer, and consider the multiple issues on hand.

_" – Really wrong!" _Paula finished, stepping lightly up the stairs. _"And I've gotta get things back where they belong! I can do it -!"  
"Gotta play!" _Stuart yelled.

The crowd wasn't pleased. _"Stick with what you know!"_

_"Hip hop hooray!" _Rachel exclaimed.

Her nerd friends were embarrassed beyond belief. _"She has got to go!"_

_"Crème Brule?" _Russel suggested, making a last-ditch effort.

_"Keep your voice down low!" _the basketball players urged, now fearing for Russel's safety.

_"Not another peep!" _Paula cried.

_"No!" _the crowd agreed.

_"Not another word!"_

_"No!"  
"Not another sound!"_

_"No!"_

_"Not -!"_

_"EVERYBODY QUIET!" _Murdoc suddenly screeched, standing up swiftly. The students were all taken quite aback until they noticed what Murdoc was staring at. Entering with her cafeteria tray was Noodle, and walking with her was Alan.

Noodle felt all the empty, mad stares coming in her direction. She turned to Alan, baffled.

_"Why is everyone staring at you, Alan-san?" _Noodle wondered aloud.

_"Not me… you," _Alan said, clearly at a loss.

_"Because of… of… that paper, right?" _Noodle asked. Alan merely nodded. Noodle swallowed uneasily. _"I can't have people staring at me! I can't take it! I really just can't…!"  
_Noodle tried to sit down with the punks, who had welcomed Noodle in English. But now they were incensed. _"No, no, no, no -!"_

Noodle quickly moved away and tried to go somewhere else, but Paula was hovering overhead to make sure that didn't happen. _"Stick to the stuff you know! If you wanna be cool, follow one simple rule!"_

_"Don't mess with the flow, no, no! Stick to the status quo!" _the cheerleaders barked, scaring Noodle. They were usually so nice to her…

Noodle tried to get over to where her brother was, but he was being riled in much the same way she was.

_"No, no, no!" _the nerds yelled at Rachel.

_"Stick to the stuff you know!" _came the cry of the skaters.

_"It is better by far…" _the drama geeks started.

_"…to keep things as they are!" _the artists finished.

_"Don't mess with the flow –" _the other jocks ordered.

_"No, no!" _the basketball players called, finally realizing what Russel had tried to say. They attempted to get Noodle to a place of safety, but they couldn't reach her. Murdoc was headed right towards her.

_"Stick to the status -!"_

_"Stick to the status -!"_

_"Stick to the status quo!" _Paula yelled out. Murdoc, who was clearly irritated, picked up Noodle's milk carton.

"Can I borrow this?" Murdoc asked politely.

"Sure," Noodle responded confusedly.

Murdoc fingered the carton delicately for a few seconds. Without warning, he lobbed the carton directly in Paula's face. Upon impact, it exploded, getting milk all over Paula. She screeched.

"You…! You -!"

Paula couldn't even say what she thought.

Murdoc grabbed Noodle by the arm. "I think I owe you an explanation."

Noodle put down her tray quickly as Murdoc roughly dragged her into the eastern hallway. Alan looked down awkwardly at Noodle's lunch tray.

"Noodle-kun, you put your tray down on top of Stuart's cello case…" Alan called out. His efforts were futile, for Noodle and Murdoc were already talking in the hall.

It was a great deal quieter there. No one dared to follow the pair of them, because Murdoc looked ticked off and Noodle was… er… Noodle. She would pipe up if something indecent happened, and then Russel would personally take care of Murdoc. That was how things worked, and the basketball team knew that. So, the team kept everyone away.

"Okay, first, I'm sorry," Murdoc blurted out once the two of them were safely in the hallway, away from prying eyes and pointless accusations.

Noodle was a little taken aback. "Wait – is the great Murdoc Niccals apologizing?"

Noodle realized that she was being very critical, but at the moment, her own protection was a bit more important than Murdoc's potential opinion.

Strike that, Murdoc's potential opinion WAS more important than Noodle's well being.

"Sorry," Noodle sighed. "I'm not myself…"

"Obviously, Noodle-chan," Murdoc stated. "Second, I didn't mean for this to happen. Until Friday, there's going to be a lot of pressure on all four of you guys – least of all Stuart, because he's a vacant-headed dullard, most of all you, because you're a freshman, and apparently I hate freshmen." His hand brushed against hers.

"Do you?"

"No," Murdoc answered truthfully. "I just enjoy hazing them."

All the color drained from Noodle's face.

"BUT YOUR BROTHER WOULD KILL ME IF DID ANYTHING TO YOU," Murdoc reminded her forcefully.

Noodle cleared her throat. "So… what do I do?" She sank to the floor. "I can't go anywhere without being stared at. I can't do anything without whispers floating behind me. I can't escape this."

Noodle looked up to Murdoc's blank face. She knew what she wanted to say. She wanted to look up and say that she loved him, and that, despite the issues at hand, she didn't blame him for any of it. But, no, Noodle didn't say any of that. It would have been really inappropriate, considering the source and the context of the conversation.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Noodle asked tentatively.

"Yes, that I do."

Noodle stood up ineptly. "Well, then, I think that I'll be fine. As long as I'm not being led blindly into anything…"

Murdoc nodded before walking into the cafeteria again. Noodle, however, didn't move. His hand had touched hers… she was a bit euphoric, to say the least. A smile wove onto her face.

From her perch behind the lockers, Paula smiled widely.

Murdoc may have revealed that Paula's only intention was to win the competition, but he also gave her ammunition against the other competitors.

If Noodle was so blinded by love, why not give her eyes? Why not shatter the rose-colored glasses?

Paula walked towards her own locker in the western hallway, ready to unleash an onslaught of scandal.

A/N: Barring my chapters for _Coming to America _and _The Story of a Girl, _this gigantic explosion of a chapter is the longest thing I've ever posted on the site, something I didn't realize until looking at the page ticker and seeing 12/12 down there. I hope I didn't lose anyone with the length.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz, or High School Musical, something utterly undisputable.


	5. Betrayal

Betrayal 

"Paula, are you sure about this?"

Paula grunted crossly. "Of course I am, Werzel. I'm POSITIVE. Nothing is going to ruin my plan."

Werzel followed Paula as she walked around the third floor hallways. It was Wednesday, meaning that Noodle would be hard at work on her audition piece. Paula scanned each row of lockers, looking for some sign of that purple-haired bumpkin.

Werzel, however, was a bit smarter than Paula, and therefore more concerned. "Why would you do something like this? Paula, do you realize that when you do this, you'll lose Stuart forever?"

"He's superfluous," Paula spat quickly. "The only thing I'm worried about is Noodle right now. She's a threat."

"Paula, I've known you since kindergarten, but you still scare me," Werzel admitted.

Paula ignored Werzel. She had happened upon Noodle. Today she was wearing a black-and-white striped long-sleeved shirt and black shorts, with knee-high combat boots and a silver-studded belt.

"God, she has really good fashion sense," Werzel commented. "Almost as good as Rachel's."

"You stay here," Paula commanded before walking down the row of lockers indifferently. Noodle was testing out her new locker door, seeing as the old one had been pretty broken up. And administration didn't even question how it got that way.

Kong High School was pretty strange.

Paula tapped Noodle on the shoulder. She looked up vacantly, and when she saw Paula, her gaze didn't change a bit. However, a large purple bruise on Noodle's forehead stuck out to Paula.

"Paula-san," Noodle greeted a bit coolly. "What brings you here? Are you going to beat me up? Or yell at me?"

Clearly, the events of the past few days had gotten to Noodle. Paula bit her tongue. The verbal and physical beat-downs had toughened her. Paula also noticed that one of the basketball players was watching the scene intently from his place against the wall.

"No," Paula smiled. "I was just wondering if we could talk to each other… at brunch, maybe?"

Noodle cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I've been acting rather… terribly… lately," Paula admitted.

_As the situation demanded, _Paula thought snidely.

"And I thought that I should try to make it up to you. Have you tried the frozen yogurt here?"

"No…" Noodle trailed off. For the first time during the conversation, Noodle looked happy, if possible. Paula felt a momentary pang of guilt. It quickly dissipated.

"Well, then, meet Stuart and me in front of the cafeteria, okay?" Paula said gladly.

"Okay!" Noodle nodded, smiling. Her teeth were pretty perfect, Paula noticed.

"Bye!" Paula waved, leaving. As she rounded the corner, her false joy turned into an evil smirk. Werzel joined her side and, surprise, he wasn't happy.

"Paula, please, think this over, will you?" Werzel pleaded. "You won't be able to redo this -!"  
"I know what I'm doing," Paula barked as she walked past the AP Calc class, where Rachel was playing DDR to the song 'Everytime We Touch'. Werzel stayed behind with his girlfriend.

Paula scoffed. "For a best friend, he sure is useless…"

Noodle stood in front of the cafeteria doors, waiting eagerly. Maybe Paula wasn't as mean as she had thought before. She clicked the heels of her shoes together nervously.

A figure popped out from the northern hallway. Noodle perked up slightly, hoping that it was Paula. She wanted to get the meeting over with, and the suspense was killing her.

It wasn't Paula, however; on the contrary, it was Stuart. Noodle sighed, and her stomach resumed its uneasy churning.

"'Ey!" Stuart called out, waving his hand frantically at Noodle. "You're Noodle, ain't ya?"

Stuart strode towards Noodle. Noodle noticed that his walk was rather… ungainly. She didn't really care. Maybe Stuart was there to find Noodle and give her some news or something.

"Yeah, that's me," Noodle answered happily. She smiled and shrugged. "Where's Paula-san?"

"Paula-san?" Stuart repeated confusedly. "Oh, Paula! I don' know, actu'lly. I though' she would be wi' ya… she's been disappearin' a lo' lately."

Noodle frowned. Paula's own boyfriend didn't know where she was? That was a little odd.

"You're Stuart-san, aren't you?" Noodle said, abruptly changing the subject. Stuart blinked.

"Wha' does San mean?" Stuart inquired gently.

"Oh… see, in Japan, we use things called honorifics… for someone that you've just met, it's very proper to add –san to the end of their name."

"So there's other hon'rifics ya can use?"

"Yeah, lots," Noodle nodded. "There's –kun. That's for friends. Boys use it most, but it can be applied to girls, too. –Chan is a very girly honorific. You'd use it for a girlfriend, or a little girl, but sometimes it gets applied to girlishly cute guys. –Sama and -sanuma is used for someone that you respect very much, and –dono is the same, except higher up…"

"Wha' does it mean when ya don' use any hon'rific?"

Noodle clasped her hands and leaned against the wall. "It means that you care about someone a great deal. Like, you wouldn't use honorifics with your birth parents, or very close friends, or your family…"

Stuart smirked lightly. "Jap'nese is very compl'cated, ain't it?"

"Not if you know what you're doing."

"For someone like me, all tha' ya just said was kinda… hard ta grasp, y'know?"

Noodle and Stuart laughed lightly. For some reason, the two of them felt as if they had known each other for a very long time, like old friends.

"Where's Paula?" Stuart mused. Noodle was beginning to wonder that, too. She seemed genuinely concerned about her behavior that morning.

"I think we shoul' go look for 'er," Stuart offered. "You take the west 'allway, I'll take the eas' one, and we'll meet up here and go down the nort' 'allway."

"Right," Noodle agreed, walking away from Stuart and down the west hallway. It seemed like ages ago when Noodle tried to force her way through a throng of people on her first day – back then, she seemed so naïve and immature. Now, she felt conflicted and unsure of her path in life. And it was all thanks to Murdoc Niccals and his unique brand of psychosis.

Noodle walked past the band room and turned down the main corridor. She looked down all the rows of lockers, but there didn't appear to be any sign of Paula.

It was as if she had just van-

"NOODLE-KUN!"

Noodle whipped around. Only one person used that honorific with her…

Alan came dashing down one of the rows of lockers, frantic and out of breath.

"There's been a huge coup!" Alan gasped before leaning his head against the wall directly adjacent to Noodle.

"Coup?" Noodle repeated. Usually a coup represented a shift in power. A thought struck Noodle. "Did the principal… die?"

"No, not like that," Alan murmured. "Something… worse."

Stuart, as it were, had found Paula.

He always did, and he had expected to this time as well. What he wasn't expecting was to find her in the supply closet, making out with Murdoc.

He was speechless. Murdoc was disgusted, as it were. He looked almost… beaten? Stuart didn't say anything; maybe he wasn't to know what happened. Paula was shocked – and why shouldn't she be? It wasn't like Stuart was SUPPOSED to find her.

Stuart simply turned and walked away.

As Alan told Noodle across campus, one of his most admirable traits was his ability to take blows. When Rachel Stevens left him, he didn't cry. When Stuart got blamed for spraying graffiti all over the gym, an act whose perpetrator was never found, he didn't stand up in his own defense.

Noodle wasn't so blessed. She broke down on the spot.

Such is the cry of a broken heart.

A/N: So my true purpose comes forward. I wrote this story as an AU retelling of the Gorillaz' meeting story. I don't know if it was totally obvious at first, but now, NOW it is.

A/N 2: I really love writing Paula. I have no idea why – probably because she's so evil and I love to hate her. And yes, Noodle gets to sing in an emo fashion. I bet you were looking forward to that.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz or HSM. Woot.


	6. When There Was Me and You

When There Was Me and You 

"Noodle-chan? You look like you've been hit by a car…"

"Deer in the headlights, definitely."

"Where's that smile of yours?"

The basketball team surrounded Noodle and the basketball cart as she solemnly sat in the bleachers. She sighed and wiped away a tear – one of many shed that day.

"It's… it's a long story," Noodle murmured. Well, it was true.

"I bet it's that band thing, isn't it?" Number 04 guessed.

Noodle nodded. "Sort of…"

"I'm going to KILL Murdoc!" Number 16 threatened. The rest of the team got fired up at the mere mention of his name.

"YEAH!"

"KILL HIM!"  
"YA-HA!"

"We are NOT going to kill Murdoc!" yelled a decidedly angry voice. The entire team – and Noodle - turned around, startled. Russel was looming over them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Noodle, go home," Russel instructed bluntly. "And the rest of you – clear off for ten minutes. I'm taking care of Murdoc myself, and if I find out that ANY of you have done anything, I'll take care of you as well."

Noodle jumped off of the bleachers and reached for the ball cart, but Russel grabbed it away from her and hugged her.

"Noodle, I'm sorry," Russel whispered, so that none of his teammates would hear. "Murdoc's got a lot to answer for right now, that's for sure."

"Wait," Noodle mused, "Russel-nii-chan, how -?"

"It was very obvious, Noodle," Russel commented. "After all, you ARE my little sister. You know, I think you'll find someone who's right for you."

Noodle shrugged off Russel's hug and walked towards the door to the gymnasium. As she left, she stopped and faced Russel.

"My heart is BROKEN, Russel-nii-chan. BROKEN."

And with that, Noodle turned away. She opened the gym door in Murdoc's face, but she was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice him.

Murdoc watched her leave, feeling her decidedly gloomy aura envelop him. For a split second, he felt worried. But that was over as soon as it had started. Murdoc strode towards Russel, a frown on his lips.

"Okay, what's this all about, Russ -?"

Russel smashed his fist into Murdoc's nose. Murdoc flew backward onto the gym floor, blood splattering his face and white dress shirt. He sat up quickly.

"WHAT WAS THAT -?!"  
"I TOLD YOU IF YOU EVER HURT NOODLE, I WOULD MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!" Russel screamed over Murdoc's accusations. Murdoc's eyes widened before his frown returned.

"I figured it would be about Paula," Murdoc muttered, clutching his nose. "Jeez, Russ, in how many places were you planning on breaking my nose?"

"I was aiming for your forehead. You move fast," Russel complained.

Murdoc shook off the comment. "It's not like I WANTED anything to do with Paula. She forced herself on me. She must have had a reason." Murdoc sat up on the gym floor. "Do you have a sweater or something? I have blood on my good shirt."

"That's your good shirt?" Russel asked in amazement.

"Well, if I can't get these stains out, no." Murdoc looked up at Russel, hand cupped around his nose. "I didn't mean to – WAIT. How did I hurt NOODLE? I would have thought, well, Stuart definitely, but Noodle?"

Russel looked away awkwardly. "Well… er… maybe I shouldn't have said that…"

Murdoc's eyebrows furrowed before he burst out laughing.

"I knew there was something about her!" he cried out.

Noodle banged her head against her locker. She wasn't going to try and shove herself inside of it again – that would be plain old stupid. She half-heartedly opened up her locker and saw all of the pictures she had plastered on its walls. Noodle quickly found the one she had been looking for: one of her, Russel, and Murdoc in the Hobbs family's backyard. She yanked it off of the wall and let it fall to the bottom of the locker.

_"It's funny when you find yourself looking from the outside," _Noodle admitted to herself. _"I'm standing here, but all I want is to be over there…"_

Noodle saw Murdoc running out of the gym, Russel following him angrily. The two appeared to be shouting at each other. Noodle's eyes watered up once more.

_"Why did I let myself believe that miracles could happen?!" _Noodle asked herself angrily. _"Now I have to pretend that I don't really care!"_

Noodle dropped her bag on the floor vehemently. A pencil snapped inside of it.

_"I thought you were my fairy tale – my dream when I'm not sleeping – a wish upon a star come true! But everybody else," _Noodle added forcefully, throwing a notebook on the floor, _"could tell that I confused my feelings with the truth… when there was me and you…"_

Noodle thought she was the only one reeling. But that wasn't true at all. Just one locker row over, Stuart was loading up his backpack, albeit very slowly and excruciatingly. As he pulled his Geometry book out of his locker, a picture of him and Paula fell out of the inside. He looked at the picture and silently stepped on it.

_"I swore I knew the melody that I heard you singing," _Stuart told his foot – and, more precisely, the picture. _"And when you smiled, you made me feel like I could sing along! But then you went and changed the words… and now my heart is empty! I'm only left with used to be and once upon a song…"_

Stuart got off of the photo and threw it in a nearby trashcan – in-between his and Noodle's locker rows. _"Now I know you're not a fairy tale, and dreams are meant for sleeping. And wishes on a star? They don't come true! Cause now," _Stuart scowled powerfully, _"even I can tell that I confused my feelings with the truth… because I liked the view… when there was me and you!"_

_"I can't believe that I could be so blind!" _Noodle lamented a row over. Stuart stopped elaborating on his own sad dirge and looked into the next row. His bucket hat fell on the floor, but he didn't notice it. He only saw shadows of grief emanating from a lonely little girl.

_"It's like you were floating while I was falling, and I didn't mind!" _Noodle realized, tears flowing like clockwork. _"Because I liked the view… oh…"_

Noodle realized that she was foolish for ever thinking that anything would come of her schoolgirl crush. Nothing would have. It was just destined to be that way.

_"I thought you felt it too…" _Noodle sighed. _"But there's no 'me… and you'…"_

Noodle buried her head in her arms. "…Why?"

Stuart boldly walked out into the aisle. "Noodle-san!"

Noodle looked up before turning away quickly. "I don't want to talk to ANYONE!"

"Well, if ya talk to anyone, wouldn' it make sense ta talk ta me?" Stuart protested. "I jus' los' my girlfriend. And I'm bettin' ya los'… someone imp'rtant to ya."

"…Yeah," Noodle answered. Lying to Stuart seemed impossible. "You aren't crying, Stuart-san."

"I haven' cried since… since I los' my eyes," Stuart confessed. "I don' know why… maybe I'm jus' designed ta take damage or somethin'."

"You are not," Noodle said angrily. "Stop being so mean to yourself."

"Wha' is this you're doin' ta yourself, then?" Stuart asked coyly. "Cryin' all alone in a des'rted locker bay… wha' is tha'?"

Noodle closed her locker door. "It's heartbreak."

"Are ya still gonna try ou' for the band?" Stuart inquired randomly. Noodle blinked.

"Sure, why not?" Noodle replied. "I've come this far…"

"Well, Paula an' I were gonna sing this song I wrote…" Stuart began. "Bu' I'm kinda missing a par'ner now. Wanna do it with me?"

Noodle raised an eyebrow, but how could she refuse to someone as unassuming and nice as Stuart? After all, he did bolster her out of her bad mood.

"Yeah," Noodle responded.

Stuart jumped up happily. "Thank you so much, Noodle-chan!" Stuart kissed her on the cheek and skipped off.

Noodle clutched her cheek bemusedly, yet she smiled.

"Stuart-kun… he seems nice enough."

A/N: We trade one solo for one duet. I turned this into a duet because, as you might recall, _Start of Something New_ became a solo for Noodle. Plus, I think it works well for what's going on in the story right now.

A/N 2: A bone for Eyeshield 21 fans – the Ya-ha is for you guys. I love you all.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own HSM or Gorillaz… yeah, obviously…


	7. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You 

Thursday was a flurry of light, sounds, and color for all four of the short-listed auditioners. Add that to the fact that Murdoc's nose appeared to be broken horribly and that Rachel Stevens had to go back into therapy after hearing that Werzel knew of Paula's plot, and you had one seriously screwed-up school day.

Noodle and Stuart spent most of the day together, healing each other's wounds and trying desperately to learn their song. Noodle, being a guitar virtuoso, and Stuart, having written the song on his Casio, were okay with the actual PLAYING of the song. The singing part was eluding them.

During lunch, the two of them (and that confused pie girl, who had taken to sitting by herself lately) went over the singing parts of the song again.

"Okay, so when you go very low, I have to continue with the melody, right?" Noodle asked.

"Yeah," Stuart nodded, "ya go with the mel'dy, bu' then I come back here… I think we're missin' that node or somethin'…"

Two figures plopped down beside Stuart and Noodle and the portable melodica machine and Confused Pie Girl. They were Murdoc and Russel.

For the first time since the previous day, Noodle got a good look at Murdoc's face. She soon saw what everyone was wondering about: Murdoc's nose had, indeed, been broken in about seven places. Russel looked the same as ever, except that his sweater appeared to have a bloodstain on the underside of the sleeve.

"Russel?" Stuart murmured.

"Murdoc-sanuma?" Noodle questioned.

Both of them appeared suspicious, at best.

"Don't hurt us," Murdoc begged. "Don't… just don't. Okay? Hear us out."

"Murdoc Niccals, beggin' for mercy?" Stuart muttered doubtfully. "Somethin's not righ'…"

"Your ex-girlfriend –" Murdoc launched before Russel could put a palm over his mouth.

"You two are best off avoiding Paula until the auditions," Russel advised. "From what I hear, this little… incident… of hers didn't help her image, if you get what I'm saying. She's out for revenge, and you two are pretty easy targets."

"So you making out with her ruined HER reputation? Wow, how screwy…" Noodle shrugged. "This stupid MTV generation…"

"Other way around!" Murdoc managed to yell.

"Huh?" Noodle cried out, getting it.

"We aren' the MTV gen'ration… we're the Google gen'ration…" Stuart corrected, not getting it.

"You're saying that PAULA…?" Noodle shook her head. "No… NO. You're lying… that…"

"Tryin' to cover your sorry arse?" Stuart accused roughly.

"No, he's not –" Russel tried to spit out.

"Russel-nii-chan, how COULD you?!" Noodle cried. "HOW, HOW, HOW?!"

Murdoc sat watching the accusatory remarks fly from one end of the table to the other, his rage silently boiling over. Russel was never good under pressure. He buckled and fell, stripped of his waxen wings. Noodle was a girl, and as such, became irrational at the drop of a hat. Stuart was just angry, and Murdoc couldn't blame him. But the combination of the three was proving to be too much.

Murdoc turned his back to Stuart and Noodle.

"Oh, did we make you mad?" Noodle demanded. "You can't run from everything, Murdoc-sanuma! You -?"  
Murdoc grabbed the edges of his shirt. An eerie silence fell upon all the occupants of the table, including the Confused Pie Girl, who was doing her best to ignore the circumstances.

"Don't say anything," Murdoc ordered. "I'm going to show you something. Think of it what you want."

Murdoc pulled his shirt upward slowly. He curled it around his neck and turned his head around. His face was blank. His back didn't fare so well. It was horribly bruised, disfigured - call it what you want, it was not good.

Noodle gasped.

Stuart was shocked into an even eerier silence.

"This was not my plan," Murdoc said calmly. Noodle's body arched slightly away from him.

"If any of you geniuses still think that it was my fault, go right ahead, think that way," Murdoc continued, pulling his shirt down. "But I don't want to further confuse an already muddled situation."

"Murdoc-sanuma -?" Noodle tried to ask.

"That's all."

Murdoc walked away, hands behind his head. When he saw Paula walk by him, he tripped her, sending her face-first into the floor. Murdoc's Cuban heel skidded across the floor. He muttered something very obscene at Paula before walking out of the cafeteria.

Russel, Stuart, and Noodle watched him open the doors and regain his freedom in silence. Russel's shoulders sank.

"That's the first time he's ditched school," Russel said blankly.

Stuart was confused. "Wha' -?"

"Murdoc-sanuma… isn't stupid," Noodle murmured, just as transfixed as Russel. "I don't think that he's missed a day of school… since I've known him. But… whenever things get really tough, he just… runs away. Murdoc-sanuma sits by himself for an hour or so and figures out a way to make things the way he wants them again. It's such a cowardly thing to do… but he doesn't care. He never does."

Stuart didn't say anything. Noodle looked down at the table below her, her face turning a discreet shade of pink. Stuart was… amazed. He couldn't bring his eyes away from the picture of loneliness and doubt that was Noodle.

"Stuart," Russel stated, "I assume that you'll be working with Noodle now."

"Uh… yeah," Stuart answered, a little startled.

"I advise that you stay as far away from Paula as humanly possible," Russel instructed. "As I tried to say earlier… she's going to try to ruin everyone's chances of winning, and now that her good girl image is shattered, she's going to do whatever it takes."

Noodle stood up and took her lunch tray with her.

"In the world of competition, those who are defeated become stronger. This audition isn't over."

And with that, Noodle dumped her lunch in the trashcan and walked away.

_"There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach…" _Noodle murmured under her breath as she continued to work out fingering positions for the audition song. Strum – move finger up! Strum, strum – down! No, farther!

Noodle smiled. By herself, she was way too frantic for her own good. She was more relaxed when Stuart was around to help out.

Maybe it was just that, compared to Russel's blunt kindness and Murdoc's my-way-or-the-highway attitude, he was so down-to-earth, which was kind of refreshing. Or it could have been that Stuart was just so kind and nice to her. Or was it…?

Noodle shook the thought from her head. No, she didn't like him. That was stupid. She wasn't even over Murdoc yet.

_Russel-nii-chan does say that you never really get over your first love, _Noodle recalled. She resumed strumming on her guitar in the gymnasium. Waiting for the basketball team to finish getting dressed was one of the most boring things about being ball girl. Lately she'd taken to working on her already amazing guitar skills.

Noodle smirked and began to sing a really retarded clubbing song. _"You got me tossin' and turnin', I can't sleep at night…"_

"Didn't know that you liked that kind of crap, Noodle-chan."

Noodle looked up and blanched. "Murdoc-sanuma?"

Murdoc had, evidently, returned from his sabbatical. His mismatched eyes were a mask of sympathy and confusion. That made Noodle a little more than nervous.

"Yep," Murdoc nodded. "Hey, er, listen, Noodle-chan, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but –"

"Oh GOD!" Noodle shrieked randomly. She didn't want a confession of any kind at the moment. "Why does everyone come out of the closet to me?!"

Murdoc blinked. "I was just gonna say –"

Noodle bit her lip and was being thoroughly over-emotional. Murdoc sighed, his pink eye twitching.

"I'm sorry! Okay? Jeez, you haven't changed at all…" Murdoc spat out angrily.

Noodle raised an eyebrow. "You're sorry?"

"I think I made a mistake in…" Murdoc looked away. "Uh… I just made a few mistakes around you, okay?"

_He's usually so articulate, _Noodle thought.

"All right," Noodle said with a smile. "Sure, Murdoc. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Thanks for that, you snot-nosed – wait."

Now it was Murdoc's turn to be bemused. Noodle returned to her guitar, strumming gently. Murdoc shook his head and looked to the floor.

"Did you just -?" Murdoc began.

"Maybe," Noodle cut off.

Murdoc bit his tongue. "Uh… see you later, Noodle-chan."

"Bye, Murdoc."

Murdoc walked out of the gymnasium, his mind reeling.

_No more Murdoc-sanuma? _Murdoc thought. _I'd gotten so used to that… But…_

_No honorific. Usually only reserved for family members… that's what she told me once…_

Murdoc leaned against the hallway wall. _Maybe…_

_I guess that Noodle IS getting over me._

Stuart was puzzled.

That's not new, considering that Stuart was always in some state of uncertainty. But Stuart really didn't understand.

Just days ago, he was head over heels for Paula. But now that she had revealed herself for what she really was, he found himself completely uninterested in her. When Rachel Stevens broke up with him, he moped around for weeks – months, actually. But he felt no remorse, no angst.

Stuart, instead, was in love with someone new. It was like he was never meant to be with Paula. Or that he shouldn't have been with Paula.

He frowned, sitting at the bus stop after school. He stopped driving after crashing into that parallel-parked car. He figured it was all for the best.

Just to be stupid, Stuart stuck out his thumb and pretended to be a hitchhiker. It was nice to be stupid, a contrast to the brooding going on inside his mind.

_"You nev'r know wha' you're gonna feel…" _Stuart mused. _"Ya nev'r see it comin', sudd'nly it's real…"_

Someone in a red Honda honked angrily at Stuart. Stuart flashed him the loser sign before sticking his hand in his pocket. People around Kong had no sense of humor.

_"It nev'r even crossed my mind that I would see 'er in this light…" _Stuart mused as the bus pulled up. Stuart and a few random stragglers jumped on. Stuart flashed his bus pass to the driver before taking a seat in the back of the bus. No one ever went to the back, so Stuart usually got a few moments of privacy.

_"Well, things change when you don't expect them to," _Stuart rationalized. _"No one knows what the future's gonna do. I never even noticed that you've been there all along… I can't take my eyes off of you!"_

Stuart pulled out the sheet music and looked at his trouble notes. However, his mind soon drifted from the audition song.

_"I hope you feel the same way too," _Stuart said earnestly. _"I can't take my eyes off of you… all it took was one look for a dream come true!_

_"Yeah, we've got a good thing going on. Right here is right where we belong… You never really know what you might find; now all I see is you and I – you're everything I never knew that I'd been looking for!"_

The bus ran over a pothole. Stuart found himself flung into the seat in front of him. His papers and sheet music were scattered all over the ground. He quickly picked up the papers, his face turning red. Stuart hoped no one saw that…

_"I can't take my eyes off of you… so let the music play… Can't take my eyes off of you… The feeling's getting stronger, and I've never ever felt this way…"_

Stuart sat back up in his seat and turned to the audition song again. It looked so… scribbled-on. In every margin and near every music note was a mark or words of some sort. Stuart grinned sheepishly. Singing… well, he was okay at it. Everyone overestimated him.

Except for Noodle.

_"Alright, I see everything in your eyes," _Stuart admitted. _"Alright, something's happening. Cause everyone's around but you're the only one I see!"_

Stuart shook his head. Noodle. He thought of her constantly. Her smile, her voice, her eyes…

But she still liked Murdoc, as far as Stuart knew. Murdoc-sanuma. She revered him, apparently. Stuart sighed, removing vengeful thoughts from his head.

_"I can't take my eyes off of you… feelings like I never knew…" _Stuart mused. _"I can't take my eyes off of you! From the start – got my heart, yeah, you do… Can't take my eyes off of… you…"_

Stuart frowned and went back to his music.

"Noodle-chan…" he murmured.

A/N: While this song isn't really in the original High School Musical, I thought I'd stick it in here, partly because it kind of serves as a bridge to explain Stuart's sudden 'OMG I LIKE NOODLE' feelings. Because if you didn't know THAT was coming… man, dense people.

A/N 2: What do you all think of me making a Kong School Musical 2 to correspond with the movie? I'm not sure if I want to make one or not.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own HSM or Gorillaz. No one owning both would think to combine them anyway… haha.


	8. Bop to the Top!

Bop To The Top 

Friday arrived. Rachel Stevens came back from therapy, but she was still a bit… shell-shocked. Other than that, there wasn't much out of the ordinary to report.

Well, actually, there was one other item of interest: Paula. Her reign as Queen Bee of the school seemed like ages ago. Now, wherever she went, there were whispers and rumors. She was boyfriend-less, a social pariah, and out for blood.

She still couldn't see that it was all her fault, but such is her fatal flaw.

As Paula tromped up the staircase to the roof (her new hangout spot), Werzel followed her blindly. He was getting a bit tired of following her around, personally, but if he made the band and she didn't, he'd be free.

"Paula, what are you doing?" Werzel asked.

"I'm going to have to knock their socks off if I want to win now," Paula explained vehemently. "Since they're all in love with that sniveling nimrod Noodle…" Paula let out a tiny screech. "I can't let her win! She ruined me!"

Werzel would have corrected Paula, but there was always the possibility that he wouldn't survive the aftermath.

"So… why'd you drag me up here? I have to work on my audition, too, you know," Werzel informed her.

"I am going to perform for you," Paula told him. "Yell out whatever you want. I need help with this act…"

For a moment, Werzel could see a timid weakness in Paula's eyes. She had been her own worst enemy, but, in the end, all she could do was pin the blame on someone else. In that split second, Paula seemed… remorseful and knowing.

But she was herself again soon enough. Paula walked behind the giant stone slab that was smack dab in the center of the rooftop. Werzel leaned against a railing, smiling oddly.

_What is she doing?_

Paula popped out with a boom box, placing it in the field of view. Werzel perked up a bit.

_This should be good._

Paula pressed a few buttons on the boom box and walked over to the center of Werzel's line of sight. Some poppy, Latin-sounding music began to filter out.

_"I believe in dreaming, in shooting for the stars!" _Paula began. Werzel was indifferent. Her voice was clear, focused, and not raspy at all. It was a nice sound. _"Baby, to be number one, you have to raise the bar! Kickin' and a-scratchin', grinding out my best – anything it takes to climb the ladder of success!"_

Not only was her voice improving, Werzel realized, but her stage presence was near extraordinary.

_"Work my tail off every day… gonna bump the competition – blow them all away!" _Paula sang happily. _"Caliente…! Suave…!_

_"Yeah, I'm gonna bop, bop, bop, bop to the top -! Slip and slide and ride that rhythm! Jump and hop, hop 'til I drop, and start again! Zip, zap, zop, pop like a mop!"_

_"Scoot around the corner," _Werzel advised. Paula obliged, dancing around the rooftop.

_"Move it to the groove 'til the music stops –" _Werzel instructed.

_"Do the bop, bop, bop – to the top!"_

-

"Rachel?"

Rachel paused her game of DDR and looked over. Stuart was standing behind her, twiddling his thumbs uneasily.

"Oh, hey Stuart," Rachel smiled. "Have you seen Werzel?"

"Nope," Stuart admitted. "'Ey, um, you're pre'y smar' and s'uff, righ'?"

"I guess they say that," Rachel answered awkwardly. She turned off the DDR machine, sensing that this would take a while. She leaned against the arcade game's railing and smiled at Stuart. "So what's on your mind?"

"It's this girl," Stuart said quickly.

"Paula?" Rachel questioned.

"No… tha's the probl'm," Stuart shrugged. "Ya see, I can' help bu' feel tha'…"

"That you were never meant to be with Paula in the first place?" Rachel questioned.

Stuart looked up, amazed. "How'd ya -?"

Rachel glanced around awkwardly before getting off of the arcade machine.

"Maybe you should sit down, Stuart."

-

_"Don't ever stop! Bop to the top – gimme, gimme, shimmy, shimmy…" _Paula sang. Everything was more fun when Werzel decided to get involved. He was like sunshine, albeit sunshine with a caustic wit.

_"Shake some booty and turn around…" _Paula reminded herself quickly. _"Show some muscle…"_

_"Do the hustle?" _Werzel offered offhandedly. Paula took one look at his face and cracked up.

_"No… I'm gonna bop, bop, bop, bop to the top! Wipe away your inhibitions!"_

-

"You see, Stuart… the same thing happened to me and you."

Stuart bit his lip. "So… when Murdoc broke us up, you me' Werzel an' though'…"

"…That maybe it was for the best," Rachel admitted. "I think it's the same with you and Paula. You felt no remorse, no sadness – because the girl of your dreams was standing right there, and you never saw it."

Stuart sat silently for a long period of time. "…I shoul' tell 'er 'ow I feel… shoul'n't I?"

"If she means that much to you, Stuart," Rachel nodded before an evil grin spread across her face. "But if you do… you should do it in front of Paula. Just to rub it in her face."

Stuart grinned awkwardly. "…I think ya shoul' 'ake your med'cation, Rachel."

Rachel glanced at her watch. "… Yeah, I should."

-

_"Stomp, stomp, stomp, do the romp – and strut your stuff! Bop, bop, bop, straight to the top – going for the glory! I'll keep steppin' up, and I just won't stop… stop… 'til I reach the top! Bop to the top!"_

Paula fell to the ground. "Man, that… that was fun…!"

Werzel clapped enthusiastically. Maybe he was wrong to ditch Paula. Even though she had become insufferable in the past days, it was times like these that made him remember all the fun they had together… before the stupid auditions.

"It was great, Paula!" Werzel complimented her. "Do it like that… except without me making you laugh."

Paula nodded. "I think I have this thing wrapped up…" Paula poked her head over the railing. "YOU AREN'T GOING TO BEAT ME, NOODLE HOBBS! I'M GONNA KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR FEET!"

Werzel sighed, laughing nervously.

When Paula wasn't completely obsessed with the prize, she was a great friend. But when she wanted something, she became intolerable.

The whole thing was gonna blow over after school that day, anyway.

Werzel shivered. His act needed a bit of polishing. He bid farewell to Paula before running to the band room for some last-minute adjustments.

-

"Noodle… are you ready?"

Noodle whirled around.

"Russel-nii-chan… what if I screw up?" she murmured.

Russel hugged Noodle.

"I'll still love you, baby sister," Russel assured Noodle.

Noodle let go and went back to yanking the ball cart out of the supply closet. It flew forward, sending Noodle tripping over her black Converse high-tops. She fell backwards before laughing. Russel joined her.

"Well, break a leg, Noodle," Russel advised. "And the team should be coming any minute."

Noodle brushed herself off. "All righty then!"  
Noodle saluted Russel before wheeling the ball cart out onto the gym floor.

A/N: Oh my God, we're almost finished! I remember the first time I posted this, people were like, WTF?! What a stupid idea! But now that I've reposted and given people time to discover the story, they seem to like it! So for all you who like this tale of weirdness… thank you:D

A/N 2: The idea of Rachel Stevens playing DDR is mind-numbingly entertaining to me, and I have no idea why. When I figure it out, I'll tell you.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz or High School Musical. Oddly enough.


	9. Breaking Free

Breaking Free Breaking Free

"Hey, whaddya know, the entire school is here," Murdoc smirked. "I have power…"

"Um… sure, let's call it that," Russel sighed, shaking his head.

Murdoc and Russel were sitting in the front row of the auditorium. Murdoc, the clever shrew that he was, had wired both Russel and himself with cordless microphones. The performers would know exactly what to do, because Murdoc would tell them… once he pressed the button.

"Muds, their stress levels are really high," Russel reminded him. "Why don't you just send them out?"

"Because this way is more fun," Murdoc responded.

Russel crossed his arms, but didn't lash out. "So… how's your nose?"

"It tingles every once in a while. And you owe me a new dress shirt. The blood hasn't come out."

"Murdoc, you're so weird…"

"Hey, that was my good shirt!" Murdoc protested. "I need a new good shirt, and I'm not exactly in the black."

"What did you buy this time?"

"A few CDs."

"How many…?"

Murdoc looked skyward. "Uh… seven… ten… fifteen? I don't remember."

"Muds, you're an idiot."

"Why thank you." Murdoc looked at his watch. "I think now would be a good time to start this off, don't you?"

"That's what I said five minutes ago…" Russel protested, but it was useless.

Murdoc pressed the button.

"All right, you four, we're gonna start up," Murdoc whispered into the mike. It would come out really loud backstage, because that was how Murdoc liked it. Yep, he's a weird one.

"Paula, you're first. Then Werzel, then Stuart and Noodle. Do I need to repeat that for you, Stuart, or did you get it?"

"Murdoc, they can't respond," Russel reminded him. Murdoc gritted his teeth. The mikes would have picked THAT particular statement up.

"Well, anyway, just get this show on the road!" Murdoc cried out.

-

"Well, ya can hear pre'y well back 'ere," Stuart shrugged.

"But we can't see anything, Stuart-kun," Noodle muttered. She was visibly shaking, clutching her Gibson Les Paul in a death grip. Stuart put a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll be fine," Stuart murmured. Suddenly the sound of applause rang through the speakers.

"It's just like him," Noodle frowned.

"Wha's 'jus' like 'im'?" Stuart inquired.

"Murdoc can't even remember to turn off the microphone," Noodle laughed. "He'll figure it out in time."

Stuart flinched. "Don' ya use hon'rifics with Murdoc?"

"Not anymore." Noodle paused. "He's like my second brother. Actually, he's closer to me than my adopted brother… these past few days, he's taught me so much. To address him with a honorific… that would be degrading to him."

The two of them sat in silence as more applause filtered through.

"I think tha' 'plause means we're up…" Stuart murmured. He squeezed Noodle's shoulder. "Are ya ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Noodle admitted. Noodle grabbed her stool and her guitar, Stuart took his keyboard and its stand, and the two of them walked into the bright light of the stage.

Noodle looked out. The only person she could see was Rachel Stevens, but that was because she was in the back, videotaping. She waved. Noodle would have waved back, but it didn't seem like the right time.

"Whenever you're ready, Stuart-kun," Noodle smiled.

Stuart smiled back as he set up his keyboard. He plunked a few notes, just to make sure the keyboard was working. Noodle strummed a little on her guitar before jumping on the stool.

"Okay…" Stuart whispered to himself.

_That would be degrading to him…_

_She's not in love with him anymore, _Stuart realized with a jolt. He began to play.

_"We're soarin'… flyin'… there's not a star in heaven that we can't reach…"_ Stuart mused.

_"…If we're trying, so we're breaking free," _Noodle finished off. She began to gently strum her guitar.

_"You know the world can see us in a way that's different than who we are," _Stuart sang.

Noodle, feeling a strange urge, stepped off of her stool. _"Creating space between us… 'til we're separate hearts."_

_"But your faith," _they both sang, _"it gives me strength, the strength to believe…"_

_"We're breakin' free!" _Stuart shouted. Noodle laughed.

_"We're soarin'!" _Noodle sang, jumping around and playing her guitar happily.

_"Flyin'!" _Stuart added, playing his keyboard with gusto.

Murdoc leaned forward in his seat. "Russ… watch carefully. This… I…" He couldn't find words to describe how the chemistry was bubbling up between the two of them, or how they were in such perfect sync with each other.

_"There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach!" _they cooed.

_"If we're tryin' -!" _Stuart pushed.

_"Yeah, we're breaking free!" _they asserted.

_"We're breaking free," _Stuart repeated.

_"Ooo yeah…" _Noodle hummed.

_"Can't you feel it buildin'?" _Stuart asked, all the while hammering out the tune on his keyboard. _"Like a wave the ocean just can't control –"_

_"Connected by a feelin'," _Noodle continued, _"ooo, in our very souls!"_

_"Risin' 'til it lifts us up so everyone can see –" _the both of them mused.

_"We're breakin' free!" _Stuart cried out.

_"Soarin'!" _Noodle skipped around to Stuart's side.

_"Flyin'!"_

_"There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach!" _they both declared.

_"If we're trying – so we're breakin' free!" _Stuart called.

_"Runnin'!" _Noodle giggled.

_"Climbin'!" _Stuart added.

_"To get to that place, to be all that we can be!" _they vowed.

_"Now's the time!" _Stuart announced.

_"So we're breakin' free!" _they revealed.

_"Ooo, breaking free!" _Noodle crooned.

Now Noodle and Stuart were hovering over the keyboard, jamming and reacting to each other.

A strange smile spread across Murdoc's face.

_"More than hope, more than fate –" _Stuart promised.

_"This is truth, this is fate!" _Noodle beamed.

_"And together we see it coming!" _they exposed.

_"More than you, more than me –"_

_"Not a want, but a need!"_

_"Both of us, breaking free!"_

_"Soarin'!" _Noodle yelled over the hum of her guitar.

_"Flyin'," _Stuart admitted.

_"There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach! If we're trying," _the both of them sang.

_"We're breaking free," _Stuart told the crowd.

_"Breaking free!" _Noodle repeated. _"We're runnin'!"_

_"Ooh, climbin'!" _Stuart added.

_"To get to that place, to be all that we can be! Now's the time," _the pair announced.

_"Now's the time!" _Stuart exclaimed.

_"So we're breaking free," _Noodle shouted.

_"Breakin' free!" _Stuart added one last time.

Noodle and her guitar faded out. Soon, the only sound left was the faint sound of Stuart's piano. The two of them were standing next to each other, and something radiated from them – something overwhelming.

_"You know the world can see us," _they murmured, looking each other in the eye, realizing what Murdoc saw from the seats. _"…In a way that's different that who… we… are…"_

Murdoc clasped his hands together. "Come on…"

Stuart hesitated momentarily before he took Noodle's chin in his hand, played one final note on the keyboard, and kissed her gently.

A/N: Wow. It's been a while, huh?? Well, my excuse is simple: I totally forgot that I hadn't updated this fic. So pretty soon, the next and final chapter will come – I'm not lying this time – and then I might pursue writing a Kong School Musical 2, if the right inspiration hits me. I'm still trying to figure out how to turn that wonky mess into a Gorillaz adventure…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz or High School Musical. If I did, I don't think I'd have the guts to put the two together. That's the job of fangirls.


	10. We're All In This Together

We're All In This Together We're All In This Together

Murdoc calmly disconnected his microphone and pressed the button to stop it.

Russel nearly fell out of his seat.

Rachel was so preoccupied with what had happened that her camera fell to the wayside.

Werzel couldn't believe it. They sounded amazing together.

Paula couldn't believe it either. Except she was more focused on the kiss, just as everyone else was.

Applause suddenly tore through the auditorium. Alan, from out of nowhere, jumped on Noodle's back, rubbing her hair and screaming himself silly. Russel jumped on stage, then the basketball team, then the drama club, then just about everyone else.

Even Paula ran on stage. Something in the performance made her realize that she was acting horribly. Everyone was yelling and laughing and screaming and congratulating Noodle and Stuart on their performance, on their new relationship, on their shoo-in victory in the competition…

Well, everyone except for Murdoc. He just leaned against the wall in the back, watching it all unfold.

"All in all, a very successful experiment, I think," Murdoc murmured to himself. "Stuart Tusspot and Noodle Hobbs… they should be perfect in the band…"

The basketball team threw Noodle in the air.

Murdoc blanched. "That is, if Noodle-chan…" Murdoc shook his head. "If Noodle doesn't get killed first, that is."

-

_"Here and now, it's time for celebration!"_

Why the entire basketball team had invited themselves over Monday afternoon, Noodle never did understand. Just because she made the band wasn't a reason to party…

Scratch that. It WAS a reason to party.

_"I finally figured out," _Noodle yelled out to the crowd of people running around her house, _"that all our dreams have no limitations – that's what it's all about!"_

Number 04 threw a basketball in the air, towards Noodle. Noodle didn't catch it though. Stuart did. Noodle's eyes widened.

"Stuart?!" she called.

_"Everyone is special in their own way," _he announced, continuing with Noodle's rant. _"We make each other strong! We're not the same – we're different in a good way! Together's where we belong…"_

Stuart pulled Noodle into an embrace. She grinned sheepishly. Murdoc, who just happened to be walking by at that precise moment, ruffled Noodle's hair cheekily.

"Nice going, Noodle," Murdoc said happily.

Noodle turned, shocked. "MURDOC!"

He whirled around. "WHAT?! WE'RE ONLY TWO FEET AWAY! NO NEED TO SHOUT!"

"Wha's tha' you're doin' then?" Stuart asked randomly.

"What happened to Noodle-chan?" Noodle inquired quietly.

Murdoc smirked. "You aren't a baby anymore, now are you?'

Noodle's ears were ringing. She wasn't an outsider anymore. She had the perfect boyfriend. She had two brothers: one adopted, one not even close to being related. And the basketball team was singing off-key.

Noodle sighed. That's what the ringing was coming from.

_"We're all in this together!" _they chanted. _"Once we know that we are – we're all stars – and we see that! We're all in this together! And it shows when we stand – hand in hand – make our dreams come true! Together, together, together everyone! Together, together – come on let's have some fun! Together we're there for each other every time! Together, together – come on let's do this right!"_

Russel snatched Noodle away from a conversation with Werzel and threw her in the air.

"Noodle!" Russel yelled before hugging her. "Baby sister! Great job!"

Noodle laughed heartily. "I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life! Except when…"

"When?" Russel questioned.

"When you adopted me," Noodle finished truthfully.

And it was true. Noodle had never been this happy. She jumped onto the makeshift dance floor.

_"We're all in this together! When we reach, we can fly – know inside we can make it! We're all in this together! Once we see there's a chance that we have and we take it! Wildcats everywhere! Wave your hands up in the air!"_

Noodle looked around before she pumped up her fist. _"That's the way we do it! Let's get to it – come on everyone!"_

FIN

A/N: IT'S FINALLY DONE! It took long enough to post, but I've finally finished it. Now the whole story is up for all to see, and for all to wonder what I was on while writing this. (Answer: nothing.) Thank you all for reading and hopefully you enjoyed it.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gorillaz, nor do I own HSM. (HSM 3 – October 24th. Be there.)


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